The Historical Dictionary of the Vikings traces Viking activity in Europe, North America, and Asia for over three centuries. During this period people from Scandinavia used their longships to launch lightning raids upon their European neighbors, to colonize new lands in the east and west, and to exchange Scandinavian furs for eastern wine and spices and Arab silver. The Viking age also saw significant changes at home in Scandinavia - kings extended their power, Norse paganism lost ground to christianity, and new towns and ports thrived as a result of increased contact with the wider world. This book provides a comprehensive work of reference for people interested in the Vikings, including entries on the main historical figures involved in this dramatic period, important battles and treaties, significant archaeological finds, and key works and sources of information on the period. It also summarizes the impact the Vikings had on the areas where they traveled and settled. There is a chronological table, detailed and annotated bibliographies for different themes and geographical locations, and an introduction discussing the major events and developments of the Viking age.

Norway has a thousand year history from the Vikings (750-1100) to modern times. Historically, a poor country on Europe’s periphery, its natural resources and hardy people have established a successful modern welfare state. Norway has exploited its natural resources of fish, water, oil, and gas to become one of Europe’s most successful small states. This second edition of I contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Norway.

Sweden’s transformation in the last century was brought about not by the military prowess of exceptional Swedes (indeed neutrality has been a key element in Swedish policy for almost two centuries) but by the creative ability of its people. Sweden has emerged as a model welfare state and a well-ordered democracy, to which economists, sociologists, feminists, architects, and scientists from sophisticated nations have paid study visits. Sweden now depends on international trade to preserve its high standard of living and, in a world of harsh international competition, often has to struggle to maintain its welfare system and its reputation. Despite its present difficulties, however, it remains one of the world’s most advanced and affluent democracies. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Sweden contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, an extensive bibliography, and a dictionary section with more than 300 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Sweden.

Denmark has a millennium-long continuous history and development from Viking times (about 800-1050 AD) to the modern welfare state. The resilience of the Danish people is evident in the artistic golden age of the early 19th century despite national bankruptcy, the agricultural revival during the final third of the 19th century. Modern Denmark leads in industrial design, furniture, engineering, pharmacy, and social development in the 20th century. Danish scientists, medical doctors, composers, musicians, choreographers, playwrights, authors, sculptors, architects, designers, painters and film directors have made significant contributions to the development of European culture. In the 21st century, Denmark combines a thriving and highly productive modern economy with extensive social care and welfare, and thus refutes the neo-conservative economists who claim that such a combination is impossible. In short, Denmark is seen by the Danes and their neighbors as a very good place to live. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Denmark contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1000 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Denmark.

This dictionary provides a historical overview of the major architectural developments and styles, building materials and types, major structures and locations, sites and architects. Historical eras like ancient Egyptian architecture and the Renaissance in Europe and movements such as Art Deco are covered. Materials discussed range from concrete, stone, glass and wood, while types of structures include architectural inventions such as the arch and dome to building types from monasteries and mosques to museums and skyscrapers. Major structures highlighted in this volume include not only great achievements such as Hagia Sophia and the Eiffel Tower, but also important sites such as the Great Zimbabwe and Angkor Wat, found on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. General geographical areas are also covered, such as African and Russian architecture. Noted architects include theorists from the ancient Chinese engineer Yu Hao Roman engineer Vitruvius to many current architects such as Zaha Hadid and Santiago Calatrava, with a focus on architects who have enjoyed lasting fame through history or have won international prizes such as the Pritzker Architecture Prize. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Architecture contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 400 cross-referenced entries on architects, famous structures, types of materials, and the different architectural styles. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about architecture.

Completely updated to include important primary research, archaeological findings and debates from the last decade, this third edition of F. Donald Logan's successful book examines the Vikings and their critical role in history. The author uses archaeological, literary and historical evidence to analyze the Vikings' overseas expeditions and their transformation from raiders to settlers. Focusing on the period from 800–1050, it studies the Vikings across the world, from Denmark and Sweden right across to the British Isles, the North Atlantic and the New World. This edition includes: a new epilogue explaining the aims of the book updated further reading sections maps and photographs. By taking this new archaeological and primary research into account, the author provides a vital text for history students and researchers of this fascinating people.

This book explores 11 popular misconceptions about the Vikings. Each chapter looks at a particular misconception, examines how it became popular, discusses what we now believe to be the truth, and provides excerpts from primary source documents. When people think of the Vikings, they often envision marauding barbarians who lived violent lives. While a number of mistaken beliefs about the Vikings have become engrained in popular culture, they are not grounded in historical facts. This book examines popular misconceptions related to the Vikings and the historical truths that contradict the fictions. The book discusses 11 mistaken notions about the Vikings, with each fiction treated in its own chapter. Topics include whether the Vikings wore horned helmets, whether they were unhygienic, whether they had primitive weapons, whether they drank out of skull cups, and more. Each chapter examines how the misconception proliferated and discusses what we now believe to be the facts contradicting the fictions. Excerpts from primary source documents help readers to understand how the misconceptions came to be throughout history and provide evidence for the historical truths.

Gridiron football or American football or just plain football is the most popular sport in the United States in the 21st century. Although attempts have been made to develop the sport outside North America, it is still predominantly a North American sport with similar games (but significant rules differences) played in the United States and Canada. The Historical Dictionary of Football covers the history of American football through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 600 cross-referenced entries on both amateur (collegiate) and professional players, coaches, teams and executives from all eras. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the sport of football.

For three centuries, the Vikings changed the political world of northern and western Europe. This encyclopedia explores exactly how they did it in a highly readable and informative resource volume. How did the Vikings know when to strike? What were their military strengths? Who were their leaders? What was the impact of their raids? These and many more questions are answered in this volume, which will benefit students and general readers alike. The only encyclopedia devoted specifically to the topic of conflict, invasions, and raids in the Viking Age, this book presents detailed coverage of the Vikings, who are infamous for their violent marauding across Europe during the early Middle Ages. Featuring extracts of poetry and prose from the Viking Age, the book provides cultural context in addition to an in-depth analysis of Viking military practices.

For centuries Sweden was a rather backward, relatively unknown country. It burst onto the world scene during the Viking Age, and then under the warrior kings Gustavus Adolphus and Charles XII in the 17th and 18th centuries, only to withdraw into isolation again. In this century, however, the country has been transformed and hailed as a model welfare state. The over 240 entries in this volume range from the Viking Age to the present day, but the emphasis is on personalities and events of the 20th century and Sweden's rapid social and economic evolution. Sweden's internal affairs are reflected in articles on economics, politicians and political parties, newspapers, parliament, trade unions, social welfare, education, religion, and the status of women. Foreign affairs are covered in such articles as Sweden and Finland, Union with Norway, Estonia, Nordic Council, the two World Wars, Neutrality, the United Nations, and the European Union. Cultural entries include Swedish theater, music, visual arts, literature and language, libraries, and cinema. Several Swedes of international fame have been included (e.g., Linneaus, Kreuger, Nobel, Palme, St. Birgitta, and Raoul Wallenberg). The dictionary is preceded by a chronology and an introduction which give the reader an overview of Swedish history. There is, finally, a substantial bibliography to assist further reading.